Why So Many Yogurt Shops In Montclair?

In the past year, Montclair has been flooded with businesses selling self-serve frozen yogurt. Red Mango opened on Church Street in 2010 and was joined this year by Let’s Yo, at the corner of Bloomfield and Valley, and Berry Sweet, which recently debuted in Watchung Plaza.

But there are more yet to come! Twist is already fitting out a storefront in the Siena building, right next to Starbucks, and Razz Berry Frozen Swirl is coming to a space on Bellevue Avenue previously occupied by a waffle shop. By the time these newcomers open, we will have a total of five frozen yogurt vendors, in addition to businesses selling ice cream, like Applegate’s and Cold Stone Creamery, (which sell frozen yogurt as well as other desserts). 

What is driving this trend? Part of it is financial. Self-serve frozen yogurt is a business model with a couple of advantages. Self-serve means that fewer employees are needed and customers can pay for portions as small or large as they want. The frozen nature of the product reduces losses to spoilage. It’s also a business that does not require large inventory costs, since frozen yogurt and toppings are sold relatively quickly. Also, franchisors are there to help entrepreneurs open their own frozen yogurt parlors.

The primary reason is that people like to come to this type of establishment. Frozen yogurt has less fat than ice cream, but tastes similar, so customers are attracted to its healthful image. It’s popular with kids, but also with adults. Customers are also drawn in by the café-like atmosphere that these businesses seek to cultivate. Red Mango and Let’s Yo both offer free Wi-Fi to customers to encourage them to come in and use their smartphones and computers. Red Mango further entices customers to lounge in its comfortable armchairs, while Let’s Yo has installed iPads for customers to play with.

Montclair is being affected by a trend that is overtaking other towns too. On a three-block stretch of South Street in downtown Morristown, there are now four frozen yogurt shops. While currently Montclair residents have a choice of several fine places to have dessert, the future of the frozen yogurt sector may not be covered in rainbow-sprinkled joy. After all, the wintertime is usually the slow season on frozen-desert sales.

What do you think will happen? Let us know what you think of all the yogurt shops in Montclair in the comments section below.